Birds of a Feather
by RandomlyBeingMe
Summary: The childhood story of one of Batmans most well known enemies, the penguin, and how he became the villain we see today.
1. Chapter 1

Tucker Cobblepot, the current head of the Cobblepot family, once one of Gotham city's most wealthy and highly respectable families now one of declining desirability, sat outside one one of the lesser used rooms of his families manor, a over used pipe in his hands which he was stuffing with fresh tobacco, hands shaking as he tried to light it.

He glanced at the door to his right where the moans and groans of his wife Hermione echoed from, the soft voices of the medical staff barely audible over it as they tried to calm her. He removed the pipe from his lips, his brow creasing slightly as he sighed, closing his eyes. This was to be their fifth child, another heir in line to what was left of his families fortune and wealth. It had been two years since the birth of their youngest son William which had nearly cost his loves life, after this he had agreed to her please to wait rather than keep up the rate of having a new child every year, something he had done since their first son had come into the world.

He shivered, sneering near snarling at the thought of that thing which had crawled out his wife, if he not been there to witness it himself he would have claimed there had been a mix up between their boy and some deformed freaks child. Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot, his wife had all but demanded they name their first baby after both of their fathers, he had only given in out of pity of her having to nurse and birth the child, all wet-nurses having refused to coming up with one reason or another yet still trying to remain polite as they fled their home quickly. It had not been till he had gone to break this horrible news to his beloved that he had realised that she actually loved the creature, as she lay in bed, holding it close as she let the thing nurse from her bosom. To this day near five years later he could not comprehend why or how she could look at never mind treat such a thing so lovingly.

He was so wrapped in his thoughts he had to be near shaken for the doctor to get his attention.

"Mr Cobblepot? Sir, are you alright?" His families physician asked. Tucker cleared his throat, nodding as he pocketed the unused pipe, slowly rising to his feet. "You're wife is fine sir, the nurses are just finishing in tending to her as we speak... She would like you to come in."

He nodded, following the doctor into the dimly lit room, his eyes filled with concern for both his wife and what she had given life to. Her hair was tied back, the stray pieces that had come loose stuck to her sweat drenched face, her face was practically alight she was beaming at the bundle at her breasts so brightly. Hearing the door close she looked up, her eyes finding her husbands as she beckoned him over. Tucker walked to her side slowly, swallowing hard, feeling more boy than the man he was.

"Tucker, I would like to introduce you to our newest family member, our little girl."


	2. Chapter 2

He looked between the bundle and his wife repeatedly, his jaw slack as his eyes blurred, causing his wife to chuckle slightly, pulling him down to sit beside her which he did with a rather large bumf which startled the new born as her food bounced out of her mouth, causing her to cry in dismay.

"Oh Tucker, look what you've done, useless thing. Honestly, I give birth to our first little girl and what's the first thing you do?" Hermione teased, rocking the little one, trying to soothe her. "Now it's alright little pixie, daddy just has a rather big bottom and doesn't realise it..." She said, biting her lip to stifle a laugh which was crawling up her throat.

"I'm sorry Herm... I do not have a..." He sighed, shaking his head as he smiled slightly embarrassed, "never heard you complain about it before..." He muttered which made his wife laugh, nuzzling the baby in her arms and her husband at her side.

"And that is why I am so glad you are going deaf, now would you care to hold our little princess or just make her cry all the more?" She asked, raising an eyebrow at him. He nodded, reaching towards the baby, carefully taking hold of her as he held her close to himself.

"Oh Hermione... She's so beautiful... She is rather... Long, for a baby I mean." He asked, earning a groan from his wife.

"Honestly, it is always something with you and commenting on our babies appearance when you first see them... Although you are right, she is rather big considering she wasn't really that over due... Not that it matters... Have you thought of any names, Tucker?" He nodded, shrugging slightly, his eyes never leaving his baby girl.

"Plenty but none for a girl..." He said, smiling softly as he stroked the few blonde curls she had on her head.

"Well... I have a few in mind, what with hoping we'd have a girl eventually and... How do you feel about calling her Odette?" She asked, chewing the inside of her cheek. He tilted his head, looking to the ceiling in thought, weighing out the name. He nodded, smirking at her.

"Perfect, for my little swan princess," he chuckled, kissing his wife lovingly making her giggle, kissing him back lovingly.

"Oh brilliant... Now, when and how should we introduce her to the boys? I mean no doubt they'll be expecting another brother, and I am... Well not worried but, well they are getting to that age, Ozzy and Jason are at least..."

"Must you ruin this moment by mentioning him..." He muttered, unable to help himself as his whole posture changed, his back hunching over. His wife sighed, taking their little girl back, glowering at him.

"I'll do it myself then, you can go... Do what ever it is you do when I mention our eldest little one..." He sighed heavily, getting up and walking out of the room, having learnt better than to argue with her after upsetting her about their first born, leaving the door open. A small head popped into the room, their brow furrowing on seeing their mother upset.

"Mamma?" They called softly, catching her off guard before she spotted the chubby cheeked face, smiling lovingly at the boy.


	3. Chapter 3

"Oh, Ozzy... What are you doing up so late little one? You should be in bed my naughty boy," she said, brushing a stray piece of hair from her face as her son stepped into the room, looking down at his hands which he fiddled with in front of him.

"It's not night time, Mamma, it is afternoon, I... I left school early, to come see if you had had the baby." She sighed, shaking her head in disapproval, though couldn't remove the smile she had.

"Oh Oswald, you are very sweet to do that but you mustn't, you'll get in trouble for doing that, and I don't want my baby boy to be tarnished as a bad boy... It was very sweet of you to do that though, thank you my special little guy... Would you like to meet the new baby?" She asked, his head darting up, a look of pure amazement on his face.

"You mean... Before Jason, Robert and Will? Yes please Mamma!" He beamed, standing up straight, trying to get his posture perfect for her.

"Then come on, get over here and give your mummy a big cuddle!" The minute the last word had left her lips the little boy had began to run over to the bed, scrambling to climb up, snuggling close into the nook of his mothers arm, looking up at her in pure adoration.

"Thank you mamma..." He said, looking down at the baby, tilting his head to the side as his father did. "He looks different than my other brothers did... Is he sick?" He asked, gazing up at his mother, concerned for the baby. Hermione couldn't help but chuckle yet again, shaking her head no.

"No, Ozzy, he is not sick, he is a she. You have a baby sister Oswald, her names Odette..."

"A baby sister?! Great, like having little brothers that are bigger than me wasn't fun enough, now this girl will be bigger than me..." He said, crossing his arms in a huff causing his mother to sigh as she tried to think of how to turn this into a positive for him.

"Oswald... Yes she may well be taller than you are like your brothers but... She won't be like them, not a bit I'm sure of it. If you are kind and loving to her like I know you to be she will adore you, look up to you... Maybe not always literally but morally and that is just as important little one. She will be there to fight your corner should you need her to."

"But I don't want a girl to defend me, Mamma, I already get picked on enough as it is that would just... Not help a lot at all." He said, slumping back, cuddling her arm as he looked at the baby.

"It may seem that way now dear but that's just one of the things we can't tell right now, we will have to wait and see how thing's go, I mean..."

"Will she like me, Mamma, if I'm nice to her and stuff?"

"I'm sure she will Ozzy, she'll need her big brothers to teach her all the things kids need to know that mummy's and daddy's just can't teach them... Would you like to hold her?" At this his jaw dropped, looking at his mother as if she had gone mad, slowly nodding as he sat up straight.

His mother guided his arms in how to hold her so he was supporting her fully without accidentally hurting her. He looked down at his little sister, stunned that he had been allowed to hold her. He began to nod, slightly at first till it was noticeable as his mother laid down on her side, watching him.

"I'll be good to her, Mamma, I'll be the best big brother ever."

"I know you will Ozzy, I can tell..." She yawned, nodding off.


	4. Chapter 4

Six months after little Odette had been born the childrens mother and father paced to and fro, passing each other in near head on collisions and they readied themselves for their first full night out together since they had had their daughter.

"Are you sure we can't bring them dear?" Hermione asked as she fiddled with a piece of her hair which kept coming loose every time she tied her hair up, sighing in annoyance.

"Darling, the point of tonight is that we have an evening of just us, just you and me, that cannot happen if we bring along the children."

"I know but... Not even just Odette and Oswald? I do not trust the nanny with our fragile babe, and I especially do not trust her with Ozzy, the marks he has had when we have returned home in the past... I tell you they were not from fights with his brothers..."

"We are not taking that boy anywhere where people will see us with him, it is bad enough when guests come here that we have to lay claim to him I shall not extend this torture to outside of these walls, now silence with this discussion, the subject is closed." He said sternly, storming from the room, "I am going to have a drink while you finish readying yourself, do not take too long this time." He called back, heading to his study and straight to the liquor cabbinet which he always kept stocked.

Hermione sighed heavily, closing her eyes as she composed herself before carrying on getting ready.

"Now no rough housing or picking on each other, no snacks or sugary drinks after eight and... Please do not make too much mess little ones," she said, nearly an hour later after the spat between husband and wife, bent over so she was at a better level in order to speak with the little ones. The three younger boys all nodded, giving her their rehearsed charming smiles.

"Yes mother, we'll be good for Hilda, we promise." They said in sync, as Oswald merely stayed silent, his eyes pleading him mother not to leave him.

"I know you will little ones but I just feel I have to say to ensure I have made it clear of the primary rules..." She stood, ignoring her eldest son in fear she would break down in tears at the puppy dog look her gave her. "As for you, missy... You have fun with nanny and your brothers, no beating them up or ordering them around, alright?" She said, beaming at her baby girl who was in Hilda's arms, sucking on her hand as she watched her mother, her hand popping out of her mouth as she reached for her mother, gurgling happily.

Hermione kissed her little nose, rubbing hers against the babes before she turned and made her way to the car, earning a hurt and confused look from Odette, having never been left without her mother in her short life before. With their mothers eyes no longer on them, Jason pinched Oswalds arm hard, twisting the piece of skin he had hold of, all the while keeping the bright, innocent smile to his parents as they waved them off, his brother stayed silent, forcing a smile as he waved, a single tear rolling down his cheek.


	5. Chapter 5

Once there parents were out of sight Jason shoved the eldest of the four boys inside, stomping on the backs of his shoes so he would trip or stumble.

"Get a move on, bird boy," he sneered, smirking as Robert stepped ahead as Oswald regained his balance, knocking him repeatedly, each time with more and more force till he ended up on the floor. Jason merely smirked, walking right on top of him and over him as he led Robert and Will up to their room where they had prepared for the movie night.

"Urgh get up boy, you'll make a mess of the floor with your horrid tears, go to your room now." Hilda said, her temper short with Oswald as it was was now strained as she tried to calm the distressed baby girl in her arms. She sighed in annoyance as she stormed off to the nursery once she had marched Oswald to his room, locking it after him, putting the baby in her cradle before leaving the room, locking it as well, having planned her own evening now her employers were not around.

Little Odette screamed and cried, looking around the near pitch black room for her mother, not understanding why she had been left on her own.

Oswald sat, curled up on his bed, glad to be away from his brother but wishing he was able to at least leave his room. He sighed, putting a pillow over his head to drown out his sisters crying, wanting to just block out the whole world.

When the crying carried on for longer than usual he sat up, looking to the door. He knew that Hilda shared his father and brothers disdain for himself, that was clear whenever his mother was not around.

"Why hasn't she gone to Odette..." He muttered to himself, not able to think of any reason why his sister would get the same shunning as he did by his parents employee. She was too little to even speak never mind break things by accident. He waited a few moment more to ensure that the nanny was definitely not coming, his brothers laughter along with Hilda's confirming this, his brow furrowed he went to the door and twiddled the handle, not surprised to find it locked. He went to his bed and pulled out the lock picking set the only uncle who seemed to like him had sent and got to work undoing the lock on his room.

"I'm coming Odette, don't you worry..." He murmured as he waddled over to the nursery where his baby sisters screams had become more hysterical, passing his brothers room, the door of which was now shut, no doubt to help drown out the crying baby.

He tugged and fiddled with the handle, sighing as he found it locked, all possibilities of Hilda just not hearing her blown from his head, this was intentional. He snarled near wrenching the door open.


	6. Chapter 6

Odette, who's little throat now hurt from her crying, quietened as she heard the familiar sound of the door opening. She turned her head towards it, little hand reaching out through the bars of her bed, into the darkness, expecting her mothers warm, soft hand to to take it. Instead an odd looking hand, which had only two parts with the thumb and was much smaller than her mothers, took hold of it.

"Hush now little one, your big brother Oswald's here." A voice said, making her look up into the darkness. The hand let go of hers but was back once the big blinding light had come on, the thumb gently stroking the back of her hand. She smiled into the familiar face of her brother.

He let go of her hand again as he unlatched the bar, lowering it he took hold of her, carefully as his mother had shown him he took her across the hall and into his room, looking around before he laid her on the bed and shut the door, sitting on the bed he looked down at the smiling babbling baby.

"Nanny left you on your own too aye little one? Don't worry, she does that to me a lot, she hates me, like father and our brothers do... Do you hate me?" He asked, knowing she couldn't answer but enjoying having someone who would hear him and not yell or hit him. "Nah, I don't think you do, you don't hate anyone I bet, not even nanny... What's it like not hating anyone? I hate a lot of people, both here and at school... You'll have to go to school too you know, its really boring but I'll be there for you... I mean if you don't hate me by then... You know Will didn't always use to ha..."

He fell silent as she had taken hold of his finger, his hands laid on either side of her to ensure she couldn't roll off the bed, and was now sucking on it, her big blue eyes looking up at him as she smiled a gummy but bright smile. He slowly felt his lips twitch as a smile planted itself on him and slowly grew till he was beaming down at his little sister.

"You know how to make a guy speechless already, god help the boys when you get older that's all I know... You'll always be my special little lady though, cause I know no girl would ever wanna be seen with me, never mind hold my hand or... Suck on it... Though I guess you're only doing that cause your a baby..." He shrugged, leaning forwards he went to rub noses with her, eyes close only to shoot open as he felt her take hold of his long pointy nose and, like his finger, began to suck on it.

He pulled back, only to see her eyes well up and her bottom lip wobble.

"Oh God, no, no tears I... I don't want no tears I..." He sighed, picking her up he shifted so he could lean back against the wall as he let her suckle on his nose till she fell asleep in his arms.

Looking down at his sleeping baby sister, Oswald couldn't help but smile, eyes going over her in detail now having the chance. In her short life she had already grown to almost twice the size she had been when she was born. Her hair had darkened slightly a few shades to a more golden blonde than the pale she had been born with. Her nose he saw now was slightly pointed, nothing on his but definitely prominent, a compliment to her appearance almost.

Carefully he laid her down on his bed, going to the other side of his room her emptied the baby cot he'd been given for his toys to rest in, a well meaning present from their mother. He filled it with blankets and pillows, before moving it to beside his bed. He lifted and carried his sister to the cot, tucking her in. He climbed onto the bed, looking at her through the bars he nudged it so it would rock, sliding a finger through he couldn't help but grin as her tiny hand grasped in in a firm grip. He slowly sank into a deep sleep, stroking the back of her hand now and again.


	7. Chapter 7

Time flew by, Odette's first birthday came and went, causing tension between mother and father as she had grown to be infatuated with her eldest brother, following him around, laughing with him rather than at him, and having 'conversations' with him as the two played together, he being the one who saw her first steps unsupported on her own feet and also being the one who comforted her when she fell and hurt herself when one her new toys came flying towards the two from the direction of the three other brothers.

This increased more and more as their little girl continued to grow both mentally and physically, by the time she was two she was already the size of most four year old's, towering over her parents children who had come to be her guests and hopefully social friends, though yet again her eyes were for Oswald only, whom she was also taller than, but seemingly never even noticed that her big brother was now not so big.

Although Tucker could only see the negatives of such interactions, Hermione grew more and more proud of her little man. After Odette was born she had seen great changes in him, he socialised more, though mostly with his baby sister as their friends and guests were not interested in the Cobblepots boy. He was far more patient, often she had found him sitting and reading with his sister, holding her small hand in his as he guided it over the words as he said them, she often swatting the book away hard, tearing or bashing the book as she did. Before now he would have screamed and either attacked the person who dare to damage his prized possessions or tear his room apart, now he just took her hands in his, keeping them there till she calmed down, he would carry on the story from where they'd stopped. He was also more interested in arts and crafts, whenever Odette was having a nap or was unavailable Oswald would ask his mother how to make things, once he had what he needed he would get to work, later giving it to his baby sister.

All too soon for the doting mother, it was Odette's turn to begin school, the six years seeming to have flown by, the long baby now grown up into a not so little girl, her height now four foot five. She towered over her beloved Oswald, being the same height as her second eldest brother Jason, something he detested being ten years old and about to go up to high school.

Odette sat up in her bed, looking around her large dark room, it was still the middle of the night but she couldn't sleep, the thought of going to school filling her head. She herself was looking forwards to it, new people, new place... Yet every time Oswald had come home from school he had had cuts or bruises from the other school children who seemed to make him miserable, along with the help of her three other brothers. Scooting to the edge of her bed she slipped down onto her feet, her slippers there and waiting went unused as she stood up and went to her bedroom door. She unlocked it, opened it just enough before squeezing through the gap she'd made for herself, the door being rather large and heavy. She looked around the long dark corridors to check no one was coming who may see her before she made her way towards her eldest brothers room.


End file.
